


City of Tears

by Soar319



Series: Quirrel's Locations [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Dream Memories, Gen, Memory Loss, more memory for my boy, that one bench in city of tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 01:45:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17458244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soar319/pseuds/Soar319
Summary: He pushed the lever one more time, and the elevator left the building.And he would be a damn lier if he said the sight presented to him could be described in mortal words; time slowed down, his breath taken away as the clinking of chains became background noise.Water dripped and dripped from the towering cavern's ceiling, the city eternally weeping; for who, he did not know. Deep purples and somber blues mixed together to create an aura nothing short of regal. Lumafly lanterns that lined the streets lit the creeks of water draining away underneath the city, the paths long gone unkept. The pitter-patter of rain hitting the elegant windows created a song he couldn't stop listening to, streaking down the glass and dripping off to join the rest of the creeks.No bug's chatter to be heard, only the sorrow of a kingdom's jewel long left to drown.





	City of Tears

A city, the signs said. Why was it called the City of Tears? What did it look like? He could feel a giddy excitement bubbling in his stomach as he advanced forward.

Fungal spores and cave walls gave way to lanterns and brick walls, the strange sound of tapping filling the hallways. Quirrel slid past the shambling husks with a silent prayer, pausing as a sentry bug with gleaming orange eyes patrolled below. Unlike the other bugs, their nail gleamed, resting on their shoulder or gripped in their hands.

Even with the kingdom ruined, they still guarded the city with their life. Bound to their duty till either their body gives way or somebody takes them out.

He didn't know if he felt pity or sympathy for them.

Moving aside dusty carriages and books with cobwebs, Quirrel kept his ears open for the guards still making their rounds. He saw them dispatch one of the empty husks in two seconds; he did not trust his own nail skill to take them on. But even with the mad bugs and relentless guards…

He couldn't help but become entranced by what the city had to offer.

Arriving in front of a strange compartment, a lever rested below the intricately designed top. Chains rested on both sides of the shaft, Quirrel taking a cautious step in; it creaked slightly, but did not move much.

_An elevator. Wonder if it still works, after all this time?_

He has never seen such a contraption in his life, yet his head moved his hands to the lever and gave it a hard shove towards the down sign. The elevator doors shut with a slam and the chains rattled as they descended down, stopping at various floors. Most of the floors were occupied by more guards, Quirrel hurriedly sending himself further down. There was one floor that seemed to be devoid of enemies, but he saw that he still had one more floor to go down; it could wait.

He pushed the lever one more time, and the elevator left the building.

And he would be a damn lier if he said the sight presented to him could be described in mortal words; time slowed down, his breath taken away as the clinking of chains became background noise.

Water dripped and dripped from the towering cavern's ceiling, the city eternally weeping; for who, he did not know. Deep purples and somber blues mixed together to create an aura nothing short of regal. Lumafly lanterns that lined the streets lit the creeks of water draining away underneath the city, the paths long gone unkept. The pitter-patter of rain hitting the elegant windows created a song he couldn't stop listening to, streaking down the glass and dripping off to join the rest of the creeks.

No bug's chatter to be heard, only the sorrow of a kingdom's jewel long left to drown.

Quirrel almost didn't want to leave the elevator, wanting the sensation to continue forever. Nothing in his travels has ever been so beautiful, so majestic, yet so… melancholy. Slowly pushing open the door, he stepped out into the rain, tilting his head up.

The rain hit against his mask, a little tap sensation on his face with each drop. He stood there staring at the cavern ceiling, the winding tower spirals, the hundreds of houses in the distance. Blue rounded windows indicating apartments that have been abandoned a long time ago, living without a resident for decades.

The City of Tears, the center of Hallownest, the kingdom's most beautiful and mournful achievement of all.

He tilted his head further back, his hands lying by his sides. The rain fell around and on him, the pitter-patter continuing on and on.

It felt serene. It felt safe.

It felt… like home.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in. The rain continued to fall.

_He opened his eyes, exhaling. The rain hit his little mask, dripped along the sides, and down his chin. He didn't really care his cloak was getting soaked. He watched with wide eyes as the rain hit the windows, left a drop, and streaked down to become bigger and bigger before falling down to join the rivers flowing beneath his feet._

_It felt nice. He liked the feeling._

_"Quirrel? Where are you, my little pillbug?"_

_It was so pretty, so so pretty. The big round blue lights on the houses glinted off the droplets, making them shimmer and shine. They were like the stars Mama would show him when they lived above ground, where instead of rain, they had wind. But these stars constantly fell, only to be replaced with more stars. He cupped his hands, letting the water accumulate and glint even brighter._

_He can catch stars and make bigger stars. He liked this new place. He liked it very much._

_"There you are, sweetie!" He felt himself being picked up, Mama wiping the excess water off of his mask. He raised his cupped hands._

_"I caught stars, ma." He said. She chuckled, turning toward their house._

_"I'm guessing you like this new place?" He glanced around, staring at the stars that twinkled as they fell, a shooting star show that never stopped. She gently adjusted his cloak. "Welcome to home, Quirrel."_

_Home…_

_He liked home._

His eyes fluttered open, taking a shuddering breath.

Home. Did he live here before? Was one of those thousands of apartments his? His family's? How… How long has it been? Have they…

It was getting cold. As much as he did love the city, the rain was beginning to seep into his bones. Hurrying back into the elevator, he wrung out his hood, pushing the lever to head back up. He got off on the floor he ignored before, quietly opening up the door and creeping along the halls.

There was a guard patrolling higher up, but their voice seemed to fade away, moving them to another section. Quirrel rounded the corner, blinking as he saw a bench facing windows that overlooked the city. Setting his nail down against it, he went over to the windows, gazing out. He ignored how cold the glass was against his palms.

In or out, the city never failed to take his breath away.

The City of Tears sprawled on and on, winding roads forever lit by lumaflies and traversed by mad sentries. He wondered what the city used to be like. With how many empty apartments lied in the distance, he could only imagine the number of bugs that must have walked the rain-soaked roads, scampering from building to building. It must have been a hub of activity, hundreds and perhaps even thousands of bugs spending their daily life with a constant pitter-patter echoing through the streets.

How it made him both most curious and sorrowful.

Sitting down on the bench, he rested his weary legs with an exhale, glancing at the archway to make sure nobody was coming. The guard's voice did come trailing back, but left after their round was done. The only sound was the rain hitting the windows, Quirrel finally letting his shoulders relax and melt away any tension.

It seemed like he was safe here, for the time being. A quick nap wouldn't hurt, would it? With how Hallownest was getting stranger the further he went down, he wouldn't want to be traveling sleep deprived and make stupid mistakes.

Making sure his nail within reach, he lowered the mask on his head, closing his eyes. The rain continued to fall, making him think of how the city looked like. That view from the window was solidified in his head; he couldn't help but smile as he thought about it, dozing off.

_The view from the window never failed to amaze him, whether it be the window from his home, his dorm, or here. The numerous apartments that lied in the distance glowed a soft blue. Quirrel wondered if he could spot the one he grew up in._

_Coming back home, he felt a wave of nostalgia and warmth wash over him, like a hug from a friend he hasn't seen in a while. It has been so long since he felt the rain fall upon his mask, trickling down his chin and splashing on his legs… Why, he could still remember his graduation ceremony like it was yesterday._

_He walked up and received his diploma, blushing as the principal congratulated him for graduating at the top of his grade. All his peers already knew but still cheered, clapping as he went up to the podium and delivered his speech that he had rehearsed well into the three digits. They all cheered his name, a few waving their caps. He couldn't help but laugh, blushing from head to foot. Stepping down, the principal stopped him before he got off the stage._

_"You forgot this." They said, handing a scroll with a turquoise ribbon. He blinked._

_"I already received my diploma, Sir." They pressed it into his hands._

_"Open it up." They took a few steps back, Quirrel staring in confusion. Carefully unraveling the ribbon, he froze as he saw the King's seal at the bottom of the page, unrolling the scroll more and more. He read the letter, snapping back up to stare at the principal. They laughed and clapped, all of his classmates jumping to their feet and giving a grand standing ovation. "Congratulations, Quirrel! You have been chosen to work underneath the Chief Researcher of Hallownest!"_

_He chuckled as he remembered his friends telling him he stood there frozen for fifteen seconds while they cheered wildly for him, dropped the letter, and then fainted. Half of them stopped mid-clap as the other half screamed in horror, rushing to get him to the nurse's office to make sure he wasn't dead._

_"Reminiscing?" He turned around. She sat on the bench with her tentacles neatly folded underneath her, scribbling away in her notebook. "Did you grow up here?" She asked, glancing up from the pages._

_"My ma moved here when I was quite little and made it our permanent home." He turned back to the windows, running the tips of his claws down the glass. Man, he really wants to see if he could spot his apartment from here. He tugged at his blue hood. "Could you believe that I used to wear this around my shoulders?" She stifled a giggle._

_"Really now?" They both shared a laugh, Quirrel listening once more to the rain pitter-pattering against the glass, tap tap tapping away. They enjoyed the silence, the scratch-scratch of her pen accompanying the rain._

_"Madam?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"Where did you grow up, if you don't mind me asking?" He leaned against the windows, ignoring the cold feeling on his shell. She put her book and quill back into her bag, shifting the research papers aside to make room. Bugs milled back and forth outside, a few voices debating above them._

_"I grew up in Greenpath, it's where my love of research came from. At the time, it was still relatively wild, so studying the flora and fauna became my passion." He could not see her face, yet he knew she was smiling, her voice light. "I loved to observe the world around me, and through my exploration, came into contact with the White Lady."_

_"The Queen herself?" Quirrel whispered in disbelief, standing a little straighter._

_"I didn't know she was the Queen at the time, just a very tall and beautiful lady. I offered to help her grow a garden with my knowledge of Greenpath." She ran her tentacles down her cloak. "It was… kind of embarrassing when I learned she was the Queen." She chuckled. "I have been addressing her casually like she was an aunt." Quirrel couldn't stifle his giggle as well. He sat down next to her, leaning back to wait until they were called._

_"... I would very much enjoy spending some time with a friend here."_

_"It is a beautiful place, no?"_

_They both looked up as footsteps came around the corner._ He blinked away the blurriness in his vision, raising his mask and reaching for his nail. But only a pleasant surprise came when he saw it was Ghost rounding the corner, busy scribbling away at their map. They looked up and jumped, shoving their map and quill underneath their head and sprinting right over. He could only stare in a mixture of horror and plain confusion, still giving a little wave as they braked in front of him.

Where did the map go? Did Ghost swallow it? Was Ghost's head like a helmet? So many questions about his most interesting friend.

"The capital lies before us, my friend." He greeted, gesturing towards the windows. Ghost followed his gesture over, pressing their little hands against the icy glass. "What a somber place it seems, and one that holds the answers to many a mystery." They pressed their forehead against the window, staring straight down. Quirrel let them soak in the views, hoping they were experiencing the same euphoria he felt. "I too have felt the pull of this place, though now I sit before it I find myself hesitant to descend..." He admitted, unsure if he was talking to himself or Ghost.

They looked at him.  
  
"Is it fear I wonder, or something else that holds me back?" He murmured, getting up and standing next to Ghost. They went back to watching the raindrops streak down the glass, tilting their head upwards towards the ceiling. "The city looks to be built into an enormous cavern, and the rain pours down from cracks in the stone above. There must be a lot of water up there somewhere." Ghost seemed to back away a little, head flicking back and forth between the ceiling and him.

They waved toward the cavern cracks.

"I suppose, if the cave roof stayed strong this long, it should hold for us." Quirrel patted their head reassuringly. "The rain seems to come down endlessly, though. I'd like to see where it all comes from before I leave this Kingdom. What a sight it must be!" He mused. What supplies the rain? Has it always been crying? Was there a period of time where the city was dry?

Ghost pressed their face against the window, staring down.  
  
"If you look down from here, through the rain, you can just make out those twisted sentries, their husks still stuck in endless patrol." Quirrel murmured, glancing back at the archway; could never be too safe. His nail was still within a second's reach. "I'd be cautious around them, my short friend. Their training will not have been forgotten. This city presents some formidable foes." He warned. Ghost returned it with a simple nod.

Ah, what did he have to worry about? Ghost has shown they were more than capable. He sat back down on the bench, leaving plenty of space for them.

"Isn't this a wonderful spot for a rest? I so love the sound of the rain upon glass." He said, lounging back. Ghost scrambled up to sit next to him, pulling their map out once more. He noticed that their… skin would cling onto whatever object they pulled out of them, disappearing in black wisps.  
  
They enjoyed the silence, the scratch-scratch of Ghost's pen accompanying the pitter-patter of rain. They put it away after a while, lowering their head in what he assumed to be rest. He focused back to admiring the city, exhaling the rest of his stress away.  
  
_Hallownest's heart… Magnificent even in mourning._

He blinked as he felt Ghost's head hit his lap, leaning over a little to see that they have gone completely limp. The mask didn't give much indication if their eyes were open or closed, Quirrel resting his hand on their cloak; it rose up and down slowly.

Ah, perhaps Ghost was tired from their constant travels? The few benches scattered about the world were, although relatively safe, not guaranteed complete safety for a nap.

Did… Did Ghost trust him enough to be in such a vulnerable state?

He double-checked for his nail and listened for any potential guards, none to be had. Resting his hand on Ghost's head, he ran his claws over the smooth, rounded horns, listening to the rain fall outside.

Might as well stay here and relax with his friend for a bit. With how dangerous Hallownest was, it was rare to be able to enjoy such peaceful moments as this.

The sound of the rain began to leak into his mind, his eyes slowly lowering as his head nodded up and down. The soothing music made him lean forward, hand resting on top Ghost’s head as he dozed off, dreaming to the melancholy weeping of a fallen city.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was sitting on the backburner for another WIP, so might as well polish it up a bit! More story w/ Quirrel! Next update might take a while since I do want to get back to my other stories, this was kind of already almost done so that's why it's so early.  
> I did really like the scene of him in the rain, so did a quick drawing for it.  
> Man I am doing the locations all out of order lmao  
> Also let’s be real we all took a screenshot of sitting on the bench with Quirrel in the City of Tears more like City of Waterfalls cause god I love that moment so much


End file.
